'Twin Peaks': How the Revival Is Handling the Absence of Killer BOB

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After the death of actor Frank Silva in 1995, 'Twin Peaks' has yet to recast the role of Killer BOB in the revival — though it remains a possibility.

[Warning: This story contains spoilers for the two-hour series premiere of Showtime's Twin Peaks revival.]

While there were endless questions surrounding the return of Twin Peaks 27 years after it originally ended, there was perhaps none bigger than how the series would portray Killer BOB, the demonic entity from the Black Lodge that possesses people, leading them to kill.

In the first two seasons, Frank Silva portrayed BOB, often scene in mirror reflections or visions by those in Twin Peaks. Sadly, the actor died in 1995, leaving many wondering if the role of BOB would be recast or if co-creators David Lynch and Mark Frost would find a way to work around his absence. Now, after the premiere of the first two installments of the 18-part limited series, the answer seems clear.

Twin Peaks has not recast BOB, at least in the first two episodes of the revival. Instead, elements of the character have been integrated into Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan), which could be seen as proof that the two characters have become one after 25 years of BOB possessing the villain of the new series.

The first time he is seen, Cooper's doppelganger is vastly different than the special agent himself. His neatly manicured hair has been replaced by a long mane reminiscent of BOB's, and his stoic demeanor is gone in favor of a dark and demented personality that seems to take a certain joy in the misery of others.

While the doppelganger certainly isn't as charismatic and over-the-top as BOB could often be, it's a character that has seemingly found peace with the menacingly evil force that's overthrown him. In doing so, it's portrayed as if they've become one.

With a major piece of this new season focusing on the Black Lodge wanting Cooper's doppelganger to return, in exchange for freeing the special agent himself, it would not be all that surprising to see more of BOB's traits pop up in upcoming episodes.

In lieu of having Silva there himself to appear in the mirrors the doppelganger looks into, this is by far the preferred way to show the character lives on, at least in spirit.

That said, Lynch and Frost have also left the door open to introduce a new face for BOB, should that happen at some point in these episodes. During the first hour, the Man from Another Place, previously played by Michael J. Anderson, is reintroduced. In this version, which he says is his evolved form, the actor has been replaced with an electrified tree.

With just about any other show, this would be considered "jump the shark" material. In the bizarre world of Twin Peaks, though, it's a change that is easy enough to go along with. After all, considering the things that have happened on the show previously, a talking tree seems almost normal.

So if Lynch and Frost do decide to make Killer BOB a bigger presence in this new season, the door to doing it with a different actor is open. Until that happens, though, this new BOB-infused version of Cooper is an interesting new facet of that character.

Twin Peaks airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime. Stay tuned to THR.com/TwinPeaks for continuing coverage of the series.